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The Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania preserves the works of more than 400 designers from the 17th century to the present. Major collections include the comprehensive archives of a number of the twentieth century's most significant designers, including: Robert Venturi & Denise Scott Brown; Lawrence Halprin; Ian L. McHarg; Edmund N. Bacon; Anne Griswold Tyng; and Louis I. Kahn.

Established in the fall of 1978, the Architectural Archives gained its international reputation initially through the Louis I. Kahn Collection whose resources include all drawings, models, photographs, correspondence, and project files from Kahn's office. Purchased by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from the Kahn estate in 1975, the Collection was placed on permanent loan to the University by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and opened to the public in September 1979. The Kahn Collection attracts a steady stream of international visitors and has served as the basis for innumerable publications and exhibitions.

The research collections in the Archives are available to faculty, students, and scholars for independent study as well as to support teaching at the University of Pennsylvania. The archives facility in the lower level of the Fisher Fine Arts Building houses the Harvey & Irwin Kroiz Gallery, a specialized library, study room, and seminar room, as well as storage and processing facilities.

Research & Inquiries

Works from the Archives' collections are available for study by appontment in the Study Room.

To schedule a gallery or collections tour (groups up to 20), please call 215-898-8323 or email William Whitaker, curator, at wwhitake@design.upenn.edu

Getting Here

Location

The Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania occupies the lower level of the Fisher Fine Arts Library Building with an independent entrance located just off 34th Street adjacent to a pedestrian crossing at Smith Walk (originally Locust Street). The main entrance is up a short flight of steps and is marked by a plaque that reads “Architectural Archives / Kroiz Gallery.” Once inside the vestibule you’ll need to ring the intercom for entrance.

Street address

Mailing address

The Architectural Archives
University of Pennsylvania School of Design
102 Meyerson Hall
210 South 34th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6311

Visitor Tips & Policies

In order to protect works of art and to create an environment suitable for study, please observe the following Archives policies:

• Please do not touch the works of art or archival materials without the permission of the Archives staff.
• Food and drink are not allowed within the Kroiz Gallery without special authorization.
• Possession of dangerous materials, including firearms, is not permitted.
• Please be mindful of others, including our researchers, when using your cell phone.

Photography

• Handheld cameras without flash or tripod may be used in the Kroiz Gallery.
• Photographs cannot be commercially published, sold, reproduced, transferred or distributed.
• All photography in exhibitions of works of art on loan is prohibited.

Sketching

• The use of pens is prohibited in the Kroiz Gallery and in the Archives’ reading room; only pencils may be used for taking notes or sketching.
• Sketchbooks are not to exceed 18 x 24 inches.